Update on County Preparations for Coronavirus Disease

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From Helen Robbins-Meyer, Chief Administrative Officer

County Team,

I want to provide another update on the County’s preparations in response to the coronavirus disease, also known as COVID-19.

First, I want to thank all of our employees who have been working tirelessly on this issue – coordinating with the CDC and our partners as evacuees from China spent two weeks in quarantine at MCAS Miramar, conducting tests for the disease in our Public Health lab, coordinating with agencies across the County to make sure our region is prepared – your hard work and dedication is incredibly appreciated.

While currently the risk of infection is low, we are ready to respond to keep our community safe and healthy, and that includes you. We want to make sure our employees are protected, and our organization is prepared as the situation develops.

Each department has a Continuity of Operations Plan (COOP), which includes a pandemic plan. It ensures we can continue to deliver core services should our workforce be impacted by the virus. Make sure you’re familiar with your department’s COOP, and if you have questions, discuss it with your management team.

Our health and emergency preparedness experts have additional recommendations:

Take steps to avoid getting sick.

  • One of the most effective ways is also one of the easiest. Wash your hands often and thoroughly. Watch this video to make sure you’re doing it correctly.

  • Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth.

  • Avoid close contact with people who are sick.

  • If you are sick, stay home and keep your distance from others to protect them from getting sick too.

  • Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when coughing or sneezing, then wash your hands.

  • Practice other good health habits. Get plenty of sleep, be physically active, manage your stress, drink plenty of fluids and eat nutritious food.

There’s no cause for panic, but it’s always a good idea to be prepared.

  • Store a two-week supply of water and food.

  • Check your regular prescription drugs to ensure an adequate supply in your home.

  • Have any nonprescription drugs and other health supplies on hand.

  • Get copies and maintain electronic versions of health records from doctors, hospitals, pharmacies and other sources and store them for personal reference.

  • Have the same supplies on hand for your pets – food, water, medications, records and other things they may need, like a leash or bed.

  • Consider child care needs. Have a plan to care for children if schools or day care facilities are closed.

  • Talk with family members and loved ones about how they would be cared for if they got sick, or what will be needed to care for them in your home.

We will continue to keep you informed and update our plans as the situation develops. You can also get the latest information on our website at coronavirus-sd.com and by following the County on social media – Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Thank you for doing your part to protect each other and our community.

Registrar of Voters Needs Your Help

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From Michael Vu, Registrar of Voters:

The presidential primary election arrives in a few days! We’re ready here at the Registrar of Voters. But we could still use your help — or more to the point, your voices. All 17,000-plus County voices.

We need you to spread a simple message to your families, your friends, their friends, everyone you know. Act early!

Don’t wait until the last minute to prepare and vote. Check to make sure you’re registered. Make sure you can vote for the presidential candidate you want. Be prepared. Give yourself time because we’re expecting lines. If you aren’t sure you’ll have enough time Election Day, vote early.

We’ve said all of this in the past. But it’s more important this year than ever. That’s because two particular issues will converge for the first time – the complexity of the presidential primary and the ability to register or re-register at any polling place through Election Day. Together, both could spell long lines for voters if they don’t act early.

Here are a few other tips you can pass on to make it easier for everyone:

Mail Ballots: There are still a million ballots in the hands of voters. If you know someone who still has their mail ballot, spread the word to vote and return it in two convenient ways. They can drop it in the mailbox, which happens to be postage paid. Or, if they think time is running short, drop it off at one of our 61 Mail Ballot Drop Off Locations, which all happen to be at libraries!

If a mail voter you know decides they would rather go to the polls and vote, make sure they bring their mail ballot with them to turn in. Not doing so means additional hassle.

Not Registered? No problem: Get to the Registrar of Voters office or to one of our four new satellite voting locations before Election Day. The satellite locations will be open starting this Saturday, February 29.

You can get all this info and more at SDVote.com.

Help us spread the message. Act early! Even a couple of days will help save time. So, tell your family. Tell your friends.

Thanks for your help!

New Option to Report “Phishy” Email

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Your Outlook now has a new feature to report emails you suspect of “phishing,” a tactic scammers use to get you to reveal private information. With the new “Phish Alert Report” button, it takes one click.

This added feature provides a safe and efficient way to forward email threats to the County technology security team for analysis and deletes the email from your inbox to prevent future exposure.

If you believe that an email you receive is suspicious, click “Phish Alert Report” in the Outlook toolbar. Of course, you can still manually forward their suspicious emails to Spam.Protection@sdcounty.ca.gov.

The new button was deployed to help employees report possible phishing emails and make the County Technology Office’s response more efficient.

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